General Updates

RAFAEL J. BALICANO

ARCHITECTURAL EDUCATION:

TEACHING

The United Architects of the Philippines elevated architect Rafael J. Balicano to its prestigious College of Fellows, an honor awarded to members who have made significant contributions to architecture and society and who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession on a national level, last April 12, 2018.

The College of Fellows is an institution within UAP which is composed of all Regular Members who have been elevated to “Fellow” for having rendered notable and outstanding contributions to the Architecture profession, community and society, as well as exceptional service to UAP.

Architect RAFAEL J. BALICANO retired from DPWH in 2006 with a position of Architect II, after serving for 21 years; reemployed in the same year at Sorsogon State College and contributed immensely to the education and training of future architects by being a part of the academe, with a permanent position and a current rank of Assistant Professor III.

After their successful finish as top five finalists in the Regional Tertiary Schools Press Conference (RTSPC) last December, Dina Enrera and Jay Floresca of Sorsogon State College brought pride and honor to Bicol Region as they won national places in the recently concluded Luzonwide Higher Education Press Conference (LHEPC) last February 28 – March 2, 2018 in Baguio City.

Enrera, a national placer ever since elementary, snatched the 4th spot in Editorial Writing (Filipino) while Floresca grabbed the 6th and 7th spots for Comics Strip Drawing (Flipino) and Editorial Cartooning (Filipino) respectively. Both campus journalists were first timers in the national stage for the tertiary level.

Meanwhile, Bicol Region finished this year in the third spot outranking the other participating regions in the annual press conference.

The delegates of the nine participating State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in their delegation uniforms during the opening ceremony of Bicol SCUAA 2018 at Balogo Sports Complex, Balogo, Sorsogon City

Sorsogon State College geared up 2018 by hosting this year’s BICOL SCUAA Meet with the theme, “SCUAA: Creating Bonds thru Sports in the 21st Century” last January 11-16, 2018.

The nine State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) which participated in this momentous gathering were Bicol University (BU), Bicol State College of Applied Science and Technology (BISCAST), Camarines Norte State College (CNSC), Camarines Sur Polytechnic College (CSPC), Catanduanes State University(CSU), Central Bicol State University of Agriculture (CBSUA), Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa Sr. Memorial State College of Agriculture and Technology (DEBESMSCAT), Partido State University (PSU) and Sorsogon State College (SSC).

Bicol University was declared as over-all champion after winning 123 gold, 62 silver and 38 bronze medals. Thus, official tally for the number of medals and the rank of the SUCs are presented below:

SUC

PLACE

RANK

GOLD

SILVER

BRONZE

BISCAST

29

25

16

3rd

BU

123

62

38

1st

CBSUA

32

18

29

2nd

CNSC

18

28

15

4th

CSPC

17

22

25

5th

CSU

14

33

29

6th

DEBESMSCAT

3

8

13

9th

PSU

4

25

19

8th

SSC

8

10

26

7th

A total of 1,872 delegates participated in this year’s SCUAA Meet with Bicol University having the biggest number of delegation summing up to 356; followed by BISCAST with 305; CSU, 227; CSPC, 215; CBSUA, 200; PSU, 170; SSC, 154; DEBESMSCAT, 135; and CNSC, 110.

The representatives of these SUCs were accommodated at SSC- Sorsogon City Campus while the different events were held at the respective sports venues in Sorsogon including the SSC Covered Court and Quadrangle, Balogo Sports Complex, X-Treme Badminton Court, Alburo Spring Resort, Sorsogon Capitol Park Lawn Tennis Court, Sorsogon Provincial Gymnasium, SPPVS Gymnasium and the Gabao Airport.

Meanwhile, the mass and opening ceremonies of the event kicked off on January 12 (Friday) at the Balogo Sports Complex, Sorsogon City. The opening program highlighted the hoisting of the Bicol SCUAA Flag by the Philippine Association of State Colleges and Universities (PASUC) V Chairman and at the same time Sorsogon State College President Modesto D. Detera, followed by the hoisting of the delegation flags of the nine SUCs by their respective SUC Presidents and Sports Directors.

The SUC Presidents together with their Sports Directors hoisted their delegation flags as part of the opening ceremonies of Bicol SCUAA 2018.

The celebration was also graced by the presence of Governor Robert L. Rodrigueza and Congresswoman Evelina G. Escudero who welcomed the participants to the Province of Sorsogon and expressed their support and congratulations to Sorsogon State College as host of the regional event.

Accordingly during the opening program,, SSC was also awarded and recognized by the National Quality Assurance (NQA) through Mr. Ranilo Bernardino as the first institution in the province and the Bicol region to pass the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification under the latest 9001:2015 version, after the audit visit last December 20-21, 2017. The certificates of registration for the ISO certification were awarded to Dr. Helen R. Lara, Dr. Milagros Ebuenga, Mrs. Sheryll P. Gregory and Dr. Bernardo Quiñones as campus administrators of Sorsogon City Campus, Castilla Campus, Magallanes Campus and Bulan Campus respectively.

The other highlights of the opening ceremony include the Lightning of 2018 Bicol SCUAA Meet Friendship Flame by Ms. Aireen Mancilla, Taekwondo National Player; the Oath of Amateurism led by Mr. Thomas Encinares, Dance Sports National Player; the Unleashing of Balloons of Friendship by the SUC Presidents; and the Field Demonstration by the junior high school and selected college students of SSC.

Bannering the theme “Gurong Pilipino, Kaakbay sa Progreso”, for this year’s Teacher’s month celebration, the students of the Technology Department expressed their love and gratitude to their teachers through letters, poems and song, and dance numbers last October 2, 2017 at the SSC Pavilion.

THANK YOU Faculty of the Technology Department received recognition from students during the Teachers’ Month celebration last October 2, 2017 at SSC Pavilion. PHOTO BY R BENZON

Initiated by the Technology Student Council (TSC), the minor organizations from the department each played its part in showcasing not only their talents but also sending heart-felt message to their teachers.
Among the faculty who were truly cherished by the students because of her passion in teaching was the dean of the department, Mrs. Geraldine De Jesus.

Campaigning “Matalinong Panonood Para sa Pamilya ni Juan at Juana”, the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) conducted a symposium for barangay officials, women organizations and SSCians last July 9, 2017 at the Audio – Visual Hall, Sorsogon State College.

Created under Presidential Decree No. 1986, MTRCB identified its scope of authority, and power and function, to include the supervising, regulating, and denying or cancelling of permits of all motion pictures, television programs, and publicity of materials.
Board member Teresita Villarama stressed the importance of classifying the material (television programs and films) which each family member watches. She exemplified some cartoon shows such as Tom and Jerry and how these kind of animated shows may corrupt the psychological behavior of young viewers.
Villarama also enumerated the ratings used for television programs, emphasizing Memorandum Circular No. 05-2011 which states that the pictogram advisory with an MTRCB logo shall be clearly superimposed at the right corner of the television screen throughout the entire showing of the program. These classification ratings include General Patronage (G) or shows that are suitable for all ages, wholesome and can be aired anytime; Parental Guidance (PG) for materials that are not suitable for children and requires the presence of parent or adult; and Strong Parental Guidance (SPG), for contents of more serious topic and theme, requires greater parental responsibility.
Meanwhile, Board Member Cristina Concordia classified additional ratings used for films which includes Restricted-13 (R-13) or films suitable for 13 years old and above; Restricted-16 (R-16) for contents that is appropriate for 16 years of age and older, these are films which may have any kind of language, natural and sexually-oriented nudity, violence and horror, prohibited drugs and their use as long as depiction of the following must be justified by the context, narrative or character development and must be age-appropriate; Restricted-18 (R-18), rating that does not mean that the film is “obscene”, “offensive”, or “pornographic” as these terms are defined by law.
Concordia stressed the last rating used for films which is the Not for Public Exhibition (X), These are films that are disapproved for public viewing, usually the kind of films that satisfies only the craving for gratuitous sex and/or violence, excretory functions and sexual conduct depicted in a patently lewd, offensive or demeaning manner, encourages the use of illegal drugs/ substances, clear attack against race, creed, or religion, glorifies criminals and condones crimes, and the likes.
Prior to this, the SSC Director of the Culture and the Arts Amelita Bernal shared her thoughts on the importance of regulating and classifying shows to every Filipino family.
The event was hosted by MTRCB Board Member Njel de Mesa, a multi-talented singer-songwriter, whose music got across international countries.

Sorsogon State College (SSC) is one of the State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) in Bicol region that enjoys zero tuition this academic year as per the approved Senate Bill 177 or the Free Higher Education All Act.

Starting 2017-2018, students of SUCs in the country shall be entitled with free tuition fee and be required only to pay their miscellaneous fees upon enrolment. Students can still enjoy their current scholarship grants as supplement to the other educational and personal expenses. However, scholars of DOST, CHEd-Full and ESGPP-A (CHEd) are not covered with the free tuition since the following agencies are already in link with the government.

An additional amount of P8.3-billion was granted to the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) to cover the free tuition fees for college students in selected SUCs in the Philippines. This amount granted to CHEd came from the P3.35 trillion Philippine budget ratified by Congress.

This full subsidy is in line with the government’s vision towards a ‘pro-poor and pro-quality higher education’. Because of this development, the Philippines is vied to be soon at par with great countries which provide free tuitions in SUCs like Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Germany.
Senator Paolo Benigno Aquino 4th authored the act, a landmark legislation that aims to provide additional funding to state universities and colleges so that all poor but bright students can enroll in college.

SSC gears up in becoming a university

From a center of excellence, SSC upgrades its vision to ‘a culture of excellence’. PHOTO BY VIC ALUB

As a premier higher institution, SSC is expected to produce graduates who will provide for the economic development of the tourism and the trade industry of the province. Thus, new courses related to these fields were approved and is now offered this academic year including Bachelor of Science in HRM, Tourism, and Entrepreneurship for the undergraduate school. Plans on opening courses for BS in Nutrition on Dietetics, Bachelor of Early Childhood Education, Bachelor of Inclusive and Special Needs Education and Bachelor of Physical Education Major in School PE are being furnished as well. Most of these programs once approved will take effect on the school year 2018-2019.
In terms of faculty development, respective professors and instructors from four campuses are on scholarship grants for their masters and doctorate degrees. This shall ensure an institution of skilled and competent teaching man power who will not only improve instruction in the academe but will also create change agents both in local and international level.
Dr. Modesto D. Detera, college president, explained that the improvement of instruction in SSC will not only benefit its stakeholders but will also help in attaining its goal of becoming an outlet of research and innovations. “We want to increase our manpower here in Sorsogon by producing graduates who are licenced and certified accountants, scientist and engineers and educators ,” Dr. Detera added.

Accordingly, the college has been producing topnotchers in board and licensure examinations. Last year, Edcel Reblora Fortes landed second with a rating of 89.40%, in the 2016 Mechanical Engineering Board Examinations. Likewise, Hazel Rose Deniega, a Bachelor of Elementary Education (BEEd) graduate, ranked 3rd with a rating of 87.60% last year during the 2016 Licensure Exam for Teachers. This year, seven new CPA are proving the competence of SSC as they passed the board in as first timers: Gelyn Estrellado, Jomelyn Dudos, Teddy De Vera, Shyra Janapin, Cherry Españo, Shaira Hillao and Jill Anabelle Laguidao.
Moreover, the Technology Department portrayed leverage on being awarded with the highest employment and certification rate in the Bicol region. This is because of its 13 assessment centers with registered competency programs including Electrical and Installation Maintenance (EIM), Baking and Pastries Production (BPP), Shield Metal and Welding (SMAW-NC1). This year, coming on-the-job trainees of Technology Department are expected to have undergone assessments and acquired National Certificates, to ensure the continuous stand of the Technology Department on producing highly skilled and competent graduates.
In fact, the Technology program is now level 3 qualified together with the Bachelor in Elementary Education (BEED) and Bachelor in Secondary Education (BSED) programs of the Education Department as evaluated and surveyed by the the Accrediting Agency of Chartered Colleges and University in the Philippines (AACCUP).

Sorsogon State College – Freedom of Information Certificate of Compliance

The engineering and architecture students of Sorsogon State College- Main Campus celebrated its annual Engineering-Architecture Festival last February 2-3, 2017.

First and second year students took part in the festival dance competition. Students from Arki-2A, who performed the Pili festival, won first place; GE-2A got second place for their Sinulog festival; and GE-2B placed third for their Butanding Festival.

Team 1 from Civil Engineering topped in the engineering quiz show. The group was consist of Ronald Descalsote, Jerome Esquiera, Thea Derit, Clark Vince Garcia. Arki team, on the other hand, won first place in the Amazing Race which stretched from SSC campus to Rompeolas and to Balogo Complex. Arvin Neil Bauson from ME-3, the beatboxer, emerged as champion in EASA Got Talent. While Clark Lagamayo from ME-3 also, who played the guitar, landed as first runner-up.

The Mechanical Engineering team won the championship in basketball while the Electrical Engineering team placed first runner-up.

Sorsogon State College made it to the final rounds of Executives’ Challenge: A National Inter-Collegiate Engineering Science Quiz Contest Year XII held last February 12, 2017 at the University of the Philippines Los Baños.

SSC Team 1 was comprised of Vincent Sonny Dio (CE4), Melchisedec Deri (ME4), Christian Grajo (EE4) and Ronald Descalsote (CE3) while SSC Team 2 was represented by Danica Janapin (ME5), Clark Vince Garcia (CE4), Albert Detera (ME4) and Jerry Parati (EE4). Both teams nailed the elimination round for Roster A and B of the competition. However during the final round, Team 1&2 fell short in defending their championship title from last year and landed on the 5th and 9th place respectively.

Thus, the University of the Philippines Diliman, Mapúa Institute of Technology and Cebu Technological University were hailed as top three winners.

Executives’ Challenge is a national collegiate engineering science quiz competition open for all universities and colleges in the country offering engineering courses.